I would point out the irony that apparently Dio was fairly religious himself—or so I'm told, and haven't bothered to confirm it so take that as it is—but he was Catholic, so they probably would have picketed him anyway. Hell, he could have been a died in the wool evangelical fundamentalist as extreme as they are, and they still probably would have done that.

Because we all know that really Dio is right now rocking hard in Valhalla, and they're in principle against things that are as totally sweet and wicked as that.

I know that they have a right to protest, and that disrupting them is as illegal as they stepping outside their designated area, but I hate to see this kind of thing permitted by the law :/ I know that I'd be running the risk of being arrested, but what these guys do is beyond disrespectful, and I'd probably actually go with the ATV + Paint Gun combo I suggested earlier >.<

A few friends, 3 ATV's, one drives, one shoots, do sweeping runs and give them some painful welts. Like I said, totally illegal, but these pricks have far worse coming to them.

You know, part of me wants to bash these religious zealots over the head with a Gibson Flying V guitar yet the other part of me wants to debate their ethics in regards to their beliefs in God, asking the simple question of why would a group of people go out of their way to picket a dead man's funeral in another state. Ronnie hasn't been dead for more than a week and already there's a stink being raised the same way that's been done since Ozzy was in Black Sabbath 30 or 40 years ago!

I can only hope this will be a private funeral so they can keep these psychos at bay.

@Sam - That's why I was thinking about the (admittedly passive-aggressive) idea of blasting Ronnie's own songs in tribute. It would effectively drown out the protesters, if it didn't have them fleeing, and I specifically went for songs with a touch of message in the music.

@Sam - That's why I was thinking about the (admittedly passive-aggressive) idea of blasting Ronnie's own songs in tribute. It would effectively drown out the protesters, if it didn't have them fleeing, and I specifically went for songs with a touch of message in the music.

Yeah, I'm one of those weird people that actually reads lyrics.

Guilty as charged too, Oni. Hell, I've even watched one certain music video that would scare the living daylights out of those people.

Oh, and if you really want to piss off Westboro Baptist Church, donate to Ronnie James Dio's Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. There's a donation link at his website. His widow, Wendy Dio, is asking for contributions in lieu of flowers and cards. I did my part.

Oh, and if you really want to piss off Westboro Baptist Church, donate to Ronnie James Dio's Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. There's a donation link at his website. His widow, Wendy Dio, is asking for contributions in lieu of flowers and cards. I did my part.

^This, too.

I love the idea of blaring his heretical music to drown out their incessant badgering, I think his fans could also make a lovely barrier to keep the grieving family from seeing their hateful signs, as well. Toss in someone accepting donations for Dio's Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund right in front of their noses and I think you've got enough to piss them off without resorting to violence. If his wife doesn't have this idea I think someone should let her know. Or if not her, the fans.

The price of living in a free society is to have to also endure this sort of activity, after all the First Amendment is most vital when protecting speech that is very offensive.

I think you're preaching to the choir here.

I hear some people are trying to organize and push for a law that prevents protesting at funerals. I'm all for the First Amendment but I sadly I think expressing it at the funeral of someone else you don't know is not expressing your right to Free Speech as it is for shock factor. He wants attention and he's getting it.

I think the best thing to do with these people is ignore them. Attention is clearly what they want. They'll get theirs in the end.

The problem is that you can't ignore them, at least not for long. They intrude where they have no right to intrude, and are protected by "Free Speech". They provoke you to your face, and have a lot of lawyers to back them up. That's where they get their money and funding from, from sueing people who interfere with them.